Traffic stop leads to drug arrests; K-9 apprehends suspect

A traffic stop last week in Isanti County led to multiple drug arrests, as well as a K-9 apprehension after one suspect fled on foot.

Isanti County Deputy Noah Heiller was running radar around 2:35 a.m. Feb. 3 on Highway 47, north of 299th Avenue, near Bradford, when he clocked a vehicle going 63 mph in a 55 mph zone. The vehicle sped past him and Heiller turned on his lights to initiate a traffic stop for speeding.

The vehicle made a sudden turn into a driveway and got stuck in the snow.

When Heiller approached the vehicle, he saw tracks leading away from the vehicle and asked Isanti County Deputy Jonathan VanderVegt to respond with his K-9 partner Kojak. After a search of the area in frigid temperatures, Kojak found the driver hiding under the deck of a private residence and bit him. The driver then gave himself up. During the search, Heiller yelled several times that he was using Kojak and gave K-9 warnings. Three passengers in the car were also arrested.

The following were charged Feb. 5 in Isanti County District Court before Judge Karla Hancock:

• Trever James Bakke, 43, Andover. Charged with felony fifth-degree drug possession-subsequent conviction. Bail was set at $100,000 without conditions or $40,000 with conditions and next court appearance for Feb. 13.

• Nicholas Anthony Leahy, 35, St. Francis. Charged with felony fifth-degree drug possession, misdemeanor fleeing a peace officer by means other than motor vehicle and misdemeanor driving after revocation. Bail was set at $70,000 without conditions or $20,000 with conditions and next court appearance for Feb. 19.

• Angela Kathryne Bassett, 33, Isle. Charged with fifth-degree drug possession, a misdemeanor related to possession of hypodermic needles-syringes, and petty misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Bail was set at $37,000 without conditions or $12,000 with conditions and next court appearance for Feb. 19.

• Jeremy John Stapher, 34, St. Francis. Charged with felony fifth-degree drug possession-subsequent conviction. Bail was set at $35,000 without conditions or $15,000 with conditions and next court appearance for Feb. 12.

During a search of the vehicle, a black box was found near where Bassett was seated. Inside the box, deputies allegedly found a small bag of syringes and a broken pipe that tested positive for methamphetamine. Another small bag was found inside the driver’s side door that tested positive for meth and weighed 1.5 grams, according to the complaint.

According to the criminal complaints, Leahy had felony warrants for his arrest, as did Bakke.

The complaint added Leahy has prior convictions for controlled substance in Anoka County on April 12, 2004, and Aug. 23, 2005. Stapher has prior convictions for controlled substance in Anoka County on Nov. 2, 2006, and Isanti County on Sept. 3, 2010. Bakke has prior convictions for controlled substances in Isanti County on Oct. 1, 2009, and Oct. 18, 2012. Bassett has two current cases for controlled substance in Isanti County set for sentencing Feb. 19.